Modern large-scale networks are composed of a vast number of node or terminal devices (e.g., computers, storage, appliances, and routing devices (e.g., switches, routers, firewalls, etc.). The ability to monitor, provision, and control these networked devices is becoming increasingly complex given such the wide range and types of equipment from routers, switches, servers, storage devices, and so on, as well as the number of different vendors that provide the equipment.
Network management operations typically involve the monitoring, provisioning, and control of network devices, and is usually handled through a client issuing commands through a management interface. These interfaces are typically sourced through a Command Line Interface (CLI) that is accessible through a network channel, a web browser interface, or a management channel such as REST (representational state transfer), Puppet, Ansible, or other similar channels. The limitation of these interfaces is that they require specialized knowledge of the specific device command set as well as access through the management services interfaces. This limitation poses a great challenge for network management, as each device typically has its own unique interface and command set for performing management operations. In addition, the interfaces to devices in the network topology are driven by presumed guidelines where customers require vendors to be similar to the certain de-facto standards, such as the present desire for CLIs to conform to known syntaxes, such as “Cisco-like,” or other similar conventions.
A significant development accompanying the advent of machine intelligence and machine learning, is a movement to provide systems that can understand natural language syntax in their operation. For example, natural language syntax is migrating into devices from phones and tablets, to home appliances and automation/security devices. A logical extension of using natural language in man-machine interfaces is to apply the techniques to network device operations. Utilizing natural language can minimize the needs for special training and certifications to understand the command sets of the numerous vendor network devices, and level the playing field for the equipment suppliers. It can thus disrupt the norm of requiring and imposing specialized training and certification needs for the equipment by allowing generalized language to be used by the end users themselves for the operation of the devices. An example of this would be the elimination of the requirement for CCIE certification of IT (information technology) staff to work with a Cisco network device. Present network device systems do not employ natural language interfaces to any sufficient degree to take advantage of the benefits provided by interacting with the network devices through a natural language syntax.
What is needed, therefore, is a generalized language interface to harmonize the command sets of the numerous vendor network devices, and simplify the learning process in configuring and operating these network devices. What is further needed is a network interface system that uses natural language translation to provide device interfaces that allows the use of natural language syntax for input commands by device users.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. Dell and Dell Networking trademarks of Dell/EMC Corporation.